I always use 1.6 quarts per pound. Denny Conn recommends basically using half of your total water volume for your mash and the other half for your batch sparge, or at least keeping them within a gallon or so of each other, 1.6 qt per lb usually works out perfect. I've had great success with this method and I make delicious beer! For my strike water I heat it about 8 degrees higher than my actual strike temp, add it to my cooler mash tun, put the cover on, check it 5-10 minutes later and its usually right where I want it to be, then I add my grains. This takes care of heat the mash tun will absorb.